Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1887-01-22
Force of Circumstances.

Force of Circumstances.
Circumstances are the things
which stand around IFS, as the ETY..
mology of the word indicates, and
to which we sustain personal rela
tons. They constitute a force by
which our will is swayed, and our
character and destiny are in a great
measure determined. We are
what we are, we believe as we do,
and we follow the peculiar vocation
which we are supposed 70 have
chosen. mainly because of the force
of circumstances. Science teaches
us that everything is shaped by
it's environment. All roses we're
originally from the samestock, and
the marvellous variety OF flowers
which now adorn our gardens il
the result of careful culture-in
other words, Of a readjustment OF
the circum stances which surround
i the plant. The law of evolution, OF
which we hear so much, is based
upon the same principle.
There is such q thing as becom
ing the victim of circumstances,
sometimes without any fault OF onr
own, and sometimes through OuI
own folly and weakness. Here is a
young man in merchants en-
ploy, when it is discovered that
certain goods are missing. Cir
cnmstantial evidence seem to indi
cate, beyond a doubt, that this
young man is the thief. He is
charged with the crime, and de
mes 1t stoutly, and with the truti
on bis side; Notwithstanding this
he may be declaredsgnilty and pun
lshed-or he may escape punish
!, ment, but stainsTe stsarI on ll
,LnaIne. which. Ina kesS I'm 5Syeg;A
wTetched, hinders him from GET
ting emp!oyment, blasts all his;
prospects, and makes his life
burden.
Again: A guilty man may plead
as an excuse for his crime that he
found himself so entrapped by cir
cumstanccs, so hampered and en-
barraSsed. that there seemed to be
no other possible alternative, and
he was driven by desperation to
commit the fraud. in defiance OF
his reason and his conscience
Many man who was supposed 70
be impervIous TO temptation. and
whom any one would have entrusted
with untold gold, has fallen from
his high estate, simply because lie
was too weak to stand erect when
the storm of adversely began to
rock his soul. Circumstances are
not omnipotent. and Can never rob
a man of his freedom or Justify his
sill. A machine must yield to the
power which impels it, and must
be guided by the bands and wheels
and cogs and springs which direct
it; but man is not machine; if he
were, of course he would not be
responsible.
Some people imagine that they
are kept from rising in the world
merely by the power Of circumstan-
ces. They lave no one TO help
them forward; they can find no
opening that suits them-perhaps
none at all; OF if they find an open
ing there is always something to
hinder their success. There are
such men in all departments ofllfe,
and it is pitful to meet them-they
always want something, and do not
see that the fault is in themselves,
and that they do not rise because
they are INDECENT, or incompetent,
or inefficient, or unwise. The able
men are those who rise i'll spite OF
circumstances, and create their
own environment. They take
things into their own hands, aud
bend them to their own purpose.
1t is very important that we
should learn how to adapt our
selves to circumstances, and make
the best of them. In this respect
we may learn a lesson from the
birds. who adapt their nests to the
locality, and from the plants whose
roots wander here and there in
search of the most propitious soil.
AS a man may be kept down by
the force of circumstances. so he
may be lifted by the force OF the
same circumstances If he only
knows how to use them. Two
Young men may start in life with
precisely the same surroundings
and while they seem only 20 hinder
and hamper the one, they reserve
rs an aid and incentive to the otll'
er. who is ready NOT only to grasp
the skirts of happy chance out
also to breast the blows OF clrculn
stance
There are certain instincts ID our
nature which willassert themselves,
in defiance of all our theories. Our
abstract notions of free will go foE
very little when we are called &c
take IN hand the practical duties
OF life. A man may call himself
: fatalist, and say that the laws 0
, destiny are lnexorable, and that h